Four footballers cautioned over a paintball shooting have kicked off their community payback.

Sunderland AFC's Chris Brown, Ryan Bell, Sean Taylor and Niall Flynn willingly agreed to take part in a community payback programme organised by Sunderland Council as a way of making up for their mistakes and giving something back to the people of the city.

Yesterday they joined pupils of Southmoor School and youth offenders to take part in a community project aimed at encouraging youngsters to dispose of litter responsibly. The players were arrested and cautioned in September after they were reported to be driving around the Sunderland area shooting at pedestrians.

The stunt came under fire from safety groups and anti-gun campaigners for the incident, which led to them being suspended from training or playing in any of Sunderland's matches.

The litter pick-up is part of the larger 100-day clean-up of the East End and Hendon - part of the national Home Office Together Campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour, which started in September.

City council leader Bob Symonds said: "We've all done things we've later regretted but what is important is that these lads have been willing to accept they made a mistake and they are big enough to try to put things right."

The players will take part in another community payback project to paint and refurbish a community voluntary organisation's premises in the city. In addition, the footballers will be taking part in football coaching sessions.